MIAMI – One of the reasons people come to Florida is because of the weather and year-round sunshine.
According to a new report, Florida is leading the country in hospital visits for heat-related illnesses.
“You don’t get used to it. We just make our walks quick when it’s hot. My daughter has shade. She has a little fan. Bring ice water around. We’re just in and out,” said Amber Davenport, who lives in Miami.
Floridians all have things they do to beat the heat.
Some stay inside, but others like Kerri, who is a dog walker, don’t have that option.
“I have to stop in between each dog walk and I bring water bottles with me. If I forget them I have to stop and pick one up. And luckily the local businesses here in Edgewater will give me a glass of water for free,” said Kerri.
According to the Florida Policy Institute, the state saw more than 26,000 emergency room visits between 2018 and 2022.
Dr. Jason Mansour at Broward Health says people going to the hospital due to the heat are people working outside, athletes and the vulnerable population, which includes kids and elderly.
“The temperatures are very hot and our ability to dissipate heat off of our bodies diminishes when it comes to high humidity. And so, this time of the year is especially the time of the year we see folks coming in,” said Dr. Mansour, the medical director for the emergency department at Broward Health Medical Center.
The doctor says the slightest changes can save you a trip to the hospital and your life, like moving to the shade, have a fan and hydrating before going outside.
“Starting your hydration before you even leave the home is really important. Because you kind of fill your tank so to speak. So, you have the ability to adapt to the environment when it becomes hot,” said Mansour.
The doctor says the number one thing they do to treat people with a heat-related illness is to put them in ice baths.
Don’t have an ice bath? He says applying ice to your neck, armpits and groin area helps cool down your central circulation.
